Max Verstappen’s record-breaking dominance in Formula 1 resumed on Sunday with his victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, the driver leading almost the entire race on a sunny day in central Japan.
His abrupt breakdown two weeks ago in Melbourne, Australia looks like a blip in his total command over F1. He was out on the fourth lap when his rear brakes caught fire.
There was nothing like that this time.
Verstappen basically led from start to finish, falling back briefly after a pit stop before working his way back to the front. He was followed across the finish line by Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez - 12.5 seconds behind - and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari. Sainz was 20 seconds off the pace.
The three-time defending F1 champion is again this season’s points leader and now has won 22 of the last 26 races from the start of the 2023 season. Only two other drivers have won in that span - Perez and Sainz, the latter winning in Australia two weeks ago.